Precursors, particularly organoaminosilane precursors that can be used for the deposition of silicon containing films, including but not limited to, silicon containing films such as amorphous silicon, crystalline silicon, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbonitride, and silicon oxynitride films are described herein. In yet another aspect, described herein is the use of the organoaminosilane precursors for depositing silicon-containing silicon containing films in the fabrication of integrated circuit devices. In these or other aspects, the organoaminosilane precursors may be used for a variety of deposition processes, including but not limited to, atomic layer deposition (“ALD”), chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (“PECVD”), low pressure chemical vapor deposition (“LPCVD”), and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition.
Several classes of compounds can be used as precursors for silicon-containing films such as, but not limited to, silicon oxide or silicon nitride films. Examples of these compounds suitable for use as precursors include silanes, chlorosilanes, polysilazanes, aminosilanes, and azidosilanes. Inert carrier gas or diluents such as, but not limited, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc., are also used to deliver the precursors to the reaction chamber.
Low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) processes are one of the more widely accepted methods used by semiconductor industry for the deposition of silicon-containing films. Low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) using ammonia may require deposition temperatures of greater than 750° C. to obtain reasonable growth rates and uniformities. Higher deposition temperatures are typically employed to provide improved film properties. One of the more common industry methods to grow silicon nitride or other silicon-containing films is through low pressure chemical vapor deposition in a hot wall reactor at temperatures >750° C. using the precursors silane, dichlorosilane, and/or ammonia. However, there are several drawbacks using this method. For example, certain precursors, such as silane, are pyrophoric. This may present problems in handling and usage. Also, films deposited from silane and dichlorosilane may contain certain impurities. For example, films deposited using dichlorosilane may contain certain impurities, such as chlorine and ammonium chloride, which are formed as byproducts during the deposition process. Films deposited using silane may contain hydrogen.
Japanese Publ. No. 6-132284 describes a method for forming by chemical vapor deposition a silicon nitride film using as a starting gas which is “an organosilane compound represented by the general formula (R1R2N)nSiH4-n (where groups R1 and R2 are any of H—, CH3—, C2H5—, C3H7—, and C4H9—, at least one of which not being H—, and n is an integer of 1 through 4). Claim 3 recites that the “organosilane compound is trisdimethylaminosilane ((CH3)2N)3SiH, bisdimethylaminosilane ((CH3)2N)2SiH2, dimethylaminosilane ((CH3)2N)SiH3, trisdiethylaminosilane ((C2H5)2N)3SiH, bisdiethylaminosilane ((C2H5)2N)2SiH2, diethylaminosilane ((C2H5)2N)SiH3, trisdipropylaminosilane ((C3H7)2N)3SiH, bisdipropylaminosilane ((C3H7)2N)2SiH2, dipropylaminosilane ((C3H7)2N)SiH3, trisdiisobutylaminosilane ((C4H9)2N)3SiH, bisdiisobutylaminosilane ((C4H9)2N)2SiH2, and diisobutylaminosilane ((C4H9)2N)SiH3.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,803 describes an atomic layer deposition method of forming a thin film layer containing silicon such as Si3N4 and SiO2 thin films using a first reactant which is preferably Si[N(CH3)2]4, SiH[N(CH3)2]3, SiH2[N(CH3)2]2 or SiH3[N(CH3)2] and a second reactant which is preferably activated NH3.
Japanese Publ. No. 6-132276 describes method of forming silicon oxide film by CVD using oxygen and organic silane compound represented by general formula (R1R2N)nSiH4-n (where R1 and R2 are H—, CH3—, C2H5—, C3H7—, and C4H9—, at least one of which not H—, and n is an integer of 1 through 4). Claim 3 recites that the “organic silane compound is trisdimethylaminosilane ((CH3)2N)3SiH, bisdimethylaminosilane ((CH3)2N)2SiH2, dimethylaminosilane ((CH3)2N)3SiH, trisdiethylaminosilane ((C2H5)2N)3SiH, bisdiethylaminosilane ((C2H5)2N)2SiH2, diethylaminosilane ((C2H5)2N)SiH3, trisdipropylaminosilane ((C3H7)2N)3SiH, bisdipropylaminosilane ((C3H7)2N)2SiH2, dipropylaminosilane ((C3H7)2N)SiH3, trisdiisobutylaminosilane ((C4H9)2N)3SiH, bisdiisobutylaminosilane ((C4H9)2N)2SiH2, and diisobutylaminosilane ((C4H9)2N)SiH3”.
Applicants' patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,875,556; 7,875,312; and 7,932,413, described classes of aminosilanes which are used for the deposition of dielectric films, such as, for example, silicon oxide and silicon carbonitride films in a chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition process.
Applicants' pending application, EP Publ. No. 2,392,691 which is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 13/114,287 describes precursors that are used for the deposition of silicon containing films.
Precursors that are used in depositing silicon nitride films such as BTBAS and chlorosilanes generally deposit the films at temperatures greater than 550° C. The trend of miniaturization of semiconductor devices and low thermal budget requires lower process temperatures and higher deposition rates. The temperature, at which the silicon containing films are deposited, should decrease in order to prevent ion diffusion in the lattice, particularly for those substrates comprising metallization layers and on many Group III-V and II-VI devices. Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the art to provide new and more cost effective precursors for the deposition of silicon-containing films, such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride films, that are sufficiently chemically reactive to allow deposition via CVD, ALD or other processes at temperatures of 550° C. or below or even at room temperature yet stable enough for normal processing and handling requirements.